Adjustable ventilator



March 29, 1960 M. PRAGER ADJUSTABLE VENTILATOR Filed Nov. l5, 1956 niillllll!" INVENTOR ADJUSTABLE VENTILATOR Maurice Prager, North Providence, RJ., assignor to Maurice Franklin Mfg. Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Application November 13, 1956, Serial No. 621,930

1 Claim. (Cl. 98-118) The present invention relates generally to Ventilating devices, and more specifically to ventilators of the louver variety.

A primary object of the instant invention is the provision of a Ventilating device for use in homes and other building structures wherein the amount of air passing therethrough may be easily and readily adjusted from the inside of the house or other building structure.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a Ventilating device which enables a variable amount of air to pass therethrough but which at the same time is so constructed as to prevent the presence of a draft within the enclosure or structure with which said device is associated.

Another important object of my invention is the'provision of a Ventilating device of the general character described which preclude the passage therethrough of rain,

snow, and the like, as well as insects, while at the same time freely enabling an adjustable amount of air to flow therethrough.

A further object is the provision of a Ventilating device which may be easily, yet securely, mounted at any desirable location in the house or building in which it is being utilized.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of a Ventilating device of the louver variety characterized by an ingenious simplicity of design, which enables the device to be simply and economically manufactured.

Still another object of the instant invention 1s the provision of a louver-type ventilator which enables an adjustable flow of air to pass through, and which is attractive in appearance, easy to operate, and highly efficient in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanyingillustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently l contemplated by me for carrying out my invention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my ventilator, mounted in operative position on a wall support;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail showing my novel and improved means for securely assembling the wire screen to the louver plate.

It has been found desirable to provide a Ventilating de- Y 2,930,309 Patented Mar. 29, 196.0

ICC

clearly apparent as the detailed description of my invcn tion proceeds hereinafter, my ventilator construction provides an attractive, clean-cut appearance; and due to the ingenious simplicity of the arrangement of the parts, it is' easy and economically feasible to manufacture. Furthermore, it is convenient to assemble and install, and once mounted in operative position, it will operate efficiently for extended periods of time, and probably for the life of the building structure with which it is associated, except, of course, for the possible replacement of the wire screen which forms a part thereof, should this particular element become clogged or otherwise damaged.

It will be understood that my Ventilating device may be mounted at any desired location, such as at the sash` or any other frame portion of a window, in a door, or in virtually any wall surface through which ventilation is desired by enabling the passage of a regulated quantity, of air. Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a wall 10 through'which it is desired to effect ventilation, and on which is mounted a Ventilating device constructed in accordance with my invention. As will be seen most clearly in Fig. 3, the wall 10 has an outer surface 12, an inner surface 14, and an elongated opening 16 extending therethrough. It will be understood that the specific configuration of the opening 16 is determined by the shape of the Ventilating device which covers same, but-preferably, said opening is of elongated, oblong configuration. As will be obvious, and as afore-indicated, the opening 16 extends entirely through the wall 10, and hence provides a passageway for enabling air to flow therethrough.

On the outer surface 12 of the wall 10, there is mounted a louver plate, generally designated at 18. The plate 418 is preferably of extruded aluminum construction, although it will be understood that any other suitable material,

metallic or otherwise, can be utilized if desired, and further, that the manufacturing techniques utilized to arrive at the finished plate, now to be described, are purely optional. As will be seen most clearly from Figs. l and 3, the plate 18 comprises a flat marginal ange portion 20 and a raised or dished central portion 22. understood that the central portion 22 is substantially larger than the aforedescribed opening 16 whereby the marginal flange 20 surrounds said opening and is adapted to engage and be secured to the surface 12 of wall 10.

The central portion 22 of louver plate 18 is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending louvers 24 which preferably are arranged in different and distinct series. Although I prefer to utilize three series of five louvers each, it will be appreciated thatany desired number of series may be utilized, and further, that any desired number of louvers may be present in any one series; Preferably, the louvers 24 are disposed at an angle of 26 with the vertical, and it will be noted that each of said louvers has closed and beveled end portions 26 whereby the entry of undesirable weather conditions, such as rain, snow, or the like, is virtually prohibited. In fact, even air passingl through the louvers'24 must infiltrate therethrough in an' upward direction thereby insuring that no appreciable through draft will ever exist, it being obvious that such a draft would be both uncomfortable and unhealthy where my ventilator is associated with the yliving area of a house or other building.

In order to prevent the entry of bugs and other undesirable foreign particles through my Ventilating device, there is provided a screen 28, preferably wire mesh, which screen is carried by the rear surface of louver plate 18. More specifically, the configuration of the screen 28 is such that it is adapted to be snugly received in abutting relation with therear surface of the dished central portion 22 of the louver plate 18, and said screenis securely maintained in this position by means of integrally struck lugs 30, note Fig. 4.V As will be obvious, the lugs 30 are It will bei from the oppositely disposed ends of the marginal flange ZOand are bent back to tightly'maintain the screen in abutting engagement with the rear surface of central portion 22. At the same time, the openings 32 which are formed 'as a resultof's'friking 'the lugs Sflfpr'vide 'ready and convenient r'neansif'r mounting the 'louiier plate and screen assembly intheA surface 12 of wall 1'0,\s'uch as by screws 34 or Athe like. Thus 'it will be seen thatI Vhave provided a highly simplified and yet 'effective construction for mounting the' sereen 28 in place and` so maintaining it While lthe louver plate is being attached to its associated wall. Once the louver plate is securely mounted in'position, the"n1o`unting of the screen 28 becomes even more secure since itis c lainpedbetween the surface 12 andthe portion of plate 22 4whi'eh surio'nnds theactnal louvers, noteFig.3. y *y l On Athe inner surface 14 of lthefwall- 1`0`the're is provided a slidable plate` assembly generally:designated at 36. As will benoted, the assembly 36 comprises asupport plate 38wvery svirnila'r in contigurationto the afore-descri'oed louver plate 18 in that it has a marginal flange portion 40 and a raised central portion 42 of a similar natre to the corresponding parts of said llouver plate, note Fig. 2. The mountingor support plate 38 is secured to Vthe surface 14 by any desirable means, such as fscfr'ews 44, for example; and when so rnunted,` it is in'oppositely disposed alignment with respect to louver plate 18, as will be seen most clearly fromFigrS. A a Y he central raisedpo'rltioln of vthe plate 38 is provided with aplurality of rectangular cut-outs or apertures 436, each of which is in alignment with one of the series of the louvers 24W carried by louver plate 18. As will be noted, the height of the openings 46is preferably slightly less than thatof the opening 156, while 'the length of each of said cut-outs is somewhat less than the length of the individual louvers 24. Thus it will be seen that ventilated air will pass through the louvers 24, the screen 28, opening 16, and then through the cut-'outs 46, whereby to ow into the area in which ventilation is desired. v i

In order that the ow of ventilated air may be simply and readily adjusted from within the enclosure being ventilated, I preferto provide slidable means for either partially or completely blocking off` the cut-outs 46. More specifically, theslidable blocking ymeans takes the form of an elongated slide plate'48 having integrally extending rolled Vportions 50 extending from the upper and lower edges thereof. As willbe vclearly seenrin Figs. SZy and 3, the rolled portions extend throughnelongaftedslots 52 provided in the central raised' portion 42 ofthe plate 38,

the slotsV 52 and the portions cooperating to `enable a f limited amount ofsl'iding motion for the plate 4S. Thus, in elect, the portions 50 function as combined guide means and, handle means, sincea's will be obvious, they not only define the slidinglrnovernenlt of the plate 18, but at the same time, they valso provide readily accessible means for imparting said movement thereto. The plate 48 is further characterized lby the provision ofa plurality f. rectangular apertures 5,4, sach 0f which .is 0f.. sbstantially thesame sine as thenaforedescribed apertures `46 in nieuwe 3.8.- .As will. barsannastclarly. ,freu Fig- 3 theslidableplate Y48 tssnugly between raised portion v42 andthe surface 14, it being understood, however,-lthat the plate 48 is gripped just s uiciently to prevent it fror'nvjinadvertently sliding toopen or closedrposition, but not so tightly as to make it difficult to impart sliding movement thereto when desired. When the rolled handle portions are at one extremity of their travel in the slot 52, it will be understood that the cut-outs 54 and 46 are in perfect alignment, in which condition a maximum ow of ventilated air passes through my device. Looking at Fig. 2, this condition would occur when the handle 50 is at its extreme right-hand position. As the handle 50 is moved toward the left, however, the slidable plate 48 willcomirtenc'e to 'block off the cut-outs 46 whereby to reduce the flow of air passing through my device until the handle 50 has reached its extreme left-hand position wherein the apertures `46 will bercompletely blocked off, and hence, no air at all can pass through the device.

Thus it will be seen ythat there has been provided in accordance with the instant invention a Ventilating device characterized by extreme simplicity, but which, nevertireless, is 4simple andA effective in operation. As will be obvious, vmy construction comprises a minimum of separate elements, thereby facilitating the manufacture and assembly thereof, and at the same time keeping the cost at a feasible level. As'afore-indicated, any number of series of louvers may be utilized, it being understood that the number of series will preferably determine the number of cut-outs in the plates 38 and While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made with# out departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except in so far as indicated by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim: p

A ventilator for attachment to an apertured wall, said ventilator comprising a first plate having a at marginal flange portion and a raised central portion, a plurality of louvers extending 4from said central portion, a screen member having substantially the same configuration as said central portion whereby it is adapted to be snugly received in abutting engagement with the underside of said central portion, and means for maintaining said screen in said abutting engagement, said means comprising a plurality of lugs integrally struck from said marginal ange portion Vand bent back over said screen, said struck portions providing mounting apertures forsaid tirst plate, said mounting apertures being inwardly spaced from the outer peripheral edge of said first plate.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 856,926 VStevick June ll, 1907 1,640,588 Yager et al. Aug. 30, 1927 1,849,623 Herwig Mar. 15, 1932 1,956,509 Lewis Apr. 24, 1934 1,958,342 Johnson May 8, 1934 2,316,526 McDonald Apr. 13, 1943 2,513,056 Scallon c June 27, 1950 2,525,371 Reynolds v Oct. 10, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,981 Great Britain July 28, 1904 

